'Tis the Midseason: A Review of PSG's 2010-11 Campaign at the Christmas Break
As the final whistle blew on Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Nancy, so came an end to the first half of the Ligue 1 term as French football gets put on hold for Christmas break.
Thus far, Paris Saint-Germain, like every club in association football would after putting in 27 shifts, have had their sparkling results, their ugly ground-out draws, their lucky breaks, their controversial calls and their poor performances.
And with Le Championnat, the UEFA Europa League and two domestic cups to juggle in 2011, les Parisiens have a lot to look forward to in the new year.
Before moving forward—because, really, we couldn't if we tried—we take a look back over an electric first half of the season in the French capital.
The highs, the lows, the bests, the worsts.
Ici c'est Paris!
Where les Rouge-et-Bleu Stand in France
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Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1
Les Parisiens are close, but still chasing leaders LOSC Lille in Ligue 1.
Having recorded 31 points from 19 matches thus far in manager Antoine Kombouaré's second season in charge, PSG sit as second best in Le Championnat after missing out on a pair of chances to go to the top in 2010's final two fixtures.
Despite not being able to pull out recent chances at No.1 spot acquiring wins, les Rouge-et-Bleu have easily been one of the most consistent performers in France to date—and prior to the Round 19 loss to Nancy, had not failed to pick up at least one point but for once in 22 fixtures following the calendar's turn to September.
Quite notably, during that lengthy unbeaten run, PSG took down rivals Olympique de Marseille by a 2-1 scoreline in 2010-11's first act of Le Classique at Parc des Princes, earning all three points for the first time in six years in the rivalry's home fixture, all the while avenging last February's embarrassing 0-3 result.
They, too, faced tough away matches to chart-toppers Lille and the always dangerous Lyon, fighting both clubs to well deserved draws.
Paris Saint-Germain in Coupe de France
Alongside the other 19 Ligue 1 outfits, defending champion PSG entered Coupe de France's Round of 64 draw on 13 December in Bordeaux.
A favourable outcome, Les Parisiens were drawn with Ligue 1 bottom feeders Lens in a rematch of the 2008 Coupe de La Ligue Final.
The two will square off 8 January 2011 at Parc des Princes.
Paris Saint-Germain in Coupe de la Ligue
As a French club in European competition, PSG entered Coupe de la Ligue's Round of 16 draw to find an away trip to Olympique Lyonnais would stand in their way of reaching the final eight.
After going behind 1-0 at Stade de Gerland, thanks to a strike by Lyon summer addition Jimmy Briand in the 38th, Kombouaré's men stared defeat in the eyes right up until Mathieu Bodmer levelled the match four minutes from time.
Then, just eleven minutes into the first half of extra time, Ludovic Giuly tacked on the game winner, seeing that two former Lyon charges downed les Gones en route to PSG's appearance in the quarterfinal.
Next, despite several changes from the impressive Classique-winning side of three days prior, a much different les Rouge-et-Bleu side meant business away to Valenciennes.
Again going behind, this time after just three minutes, PSG took much less time to equalise and eventually move past the home side at Stade Nungesser than in Lyon. Zoumana Camara levelled on nine minutes and Christophe Jallet moved the capital club ahead in the 29th.
Péguy Luyindula would put the match away just after half time.
Now, PSG awaits an 18 January clash in Montpellier for a chance to see themselves through to the final.
Where les Rouge-et-Bleu Stand in Europe
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Paris Saint-Germain in UEFA Europa League
After dispatching Israeli side Maccabi Tel-Aviv in a Europa League Play-Off Round goals-galore pairing, the Coupe de France victors were drawn into a deadly Group J, alongside La Liga challengers Sevilla, Bundesliga runners Borussia Dortmund and icy Ukrainian side Karpaty Lviv.
Nenê popped in the only goal in the group stage starter away to Sevilla and, after securing a 2-0 home win over Karpaty Lviv, PSG sat in Group J's pole position after their first two matches in Europe's secondary competition.
PSG's unblemished record was then under great threat all night long, as les Parisiens made a visit to Borussia Dortmund in October.
The German side held the fate of the game for much of the second half and, after a Nuri Şahin spot kick, it looked as though captain Makélélé and the boys would head back to France without points.
Three minutes later, however, Clément Chantôme saved the day and the match for les Rouge-et-Bleu, filling the net to draw the French club level on the night.
The return leg would prove just as tight, as PSG and der BVB battled out a scoreless but entertaining draw.
When Sevilla made their visit to Parc des Princes, Nenê got to work early, setting up a goal apiece for Mathieu Bodmer and Guillaume Hoarau in the first 20 minutes.
Next, however, the defensive floodgates that held watertight in the first four group matches were broken, as former Lyon man Frédéric Kanouté squared the tie at two with a brace in rapid fire fashion.
Before Sevilla could take the match into halftime level, Nenê added yet another tally to his body of work, curling in a third PSG goal for himself from just beyond the penalty area.
Just after the restart, Guillaume Hoarau netted a second, wrapping the game up neatly for les Parisiens.
With first place in Group J secured, PSG visited a frozen landscape in Lviv with a squad made up almost entirely of fringe players and, despite the biting cold, the Frenchmen fought to a 1-1 draw.
Drawn now in Europa League's Round of 32 with BATE Borisov, les Rouge-et-Bleu face a trip back into the icy Eastern European winter, as they visit Minsk in February in search of a Round of 16 berth.
Top Performer of the First Half
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Nenê
Could it have been anyone else?
A bit of a journeyman in the past and without back to back stellar seasons, les Parisiens took a bit of a leap in bringing the lanky winger to the French capital in the summer.
Of course, as the breathing-stripped Brazilian has been nothing short of fantastic since his €5.5 million transfer from Monaco to the City of Light and putting in man of the match performances on a weekly basis, the little gamble has certainly paid off.
Recently named 2010's Foreign Player of the Year by France Football, Nenê has not only been PSG's top performer, but also that of the whole of France.
Justifying his price tag and more, in just 23 appearances across all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain, in addition to three assists, Nenê has potted 16 goals from the left flank—13 coming in Ligue 1 action, good for second place in the scoring charts behind Lille's Moussa Sow at the holiday break.
Flop of the First Half
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Mevlüt Erdinç
Expected by many to claim the French goalscoring title at season's end after his sparkling PSG debut campaign (19 nets bulged in 36 matches en route to being named PSG's 2009-10 Player of the Year), French-born Turk Mevlüt Erdinç has disappointed parisiens thus far in 2010-11.
He came out of the gate flying against Saint-Etienne to start the season, stowing the first Rouge-et-Bleu goal of the term away with great class from a wide right angle and giving many reason to believe their preseason predictions were safe.
Since that dazzling display of deft touch—3 goals in 17 Championnat run-outs and not a single one in Europa League play.
Erdinç has been far from his best form, not placing his headers well and trotting onto the pitch without his finishing boots.
While he certainly has time to turn his season around starting in January, at this point he absolutely must be the flop of the first half.
Surprise Performer of the First Half
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Ludovic Giuly
Rewind to the start of the season.
How many thought Ludovic Giuly would end up starting 17 of PSG's 19 first half Ligue 1 fixtures over Beninese star Stéphane Sessègnon?
Not a single person.
Regardless, that is exactly what we've seen, prompting the aforementioned Sessègnon to request a transfer in frustration as he watched the 34-year-old Frenchman enjoy a long Indian summer.
Alongside two goals, Giuly leads les Parisiens with six assists, and charges down the right flank to take on left backs with reckless abandon, giving opposition fits as they try to hold both he and Nenê in check on either side of the pitch.
While nobody can be sure quite how long Giuly's renaissance will last, all parisiens are glad to see it and anyone who says they expected it would be lying.
Goal of the Season at the Halfway Mark
6 of 7Guillaume Hoarau (19') Winner in 2-1 Victory Against Olympique de Marseille
[I apologise for the video being just a digital representation of the goal, but an actual video cannot be found with a B/R preferred host...]
While it is not the prettiest goal scored by Paris Saint-Germain this season to date (see a Nenê highlight reel for aesthetics), Guillaume Hoarau's eventual Classique winner gets the nod as goal of the season to this point due to its importance.
Prior to the towering No. 9's finish, PSG had not won against Marseille since 2008, nor had they taken the home leg of Le Classique since 2004.
Yes, it had been six years since les Parisiens had downed l'OM at Parc des Princes.
By putting themselves on the winning end of France's biggest rivalry, PSG signalled to the whole of Ligue 1 that they meant business in the race for Le Championnat.
And while besting the hated rivals from the south always feels good for les Rouge-et-Bleu, doing it in such a fashion that the club announced itself as a contender for the Ligue 1 title may prove to be the key moment in a special season for the City of Light.
What Needs to Change Going Forward?
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If it Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
Bluntly, not much.
While it would be nice to see Stéphane Sessègnon change his attitude before he becomes too big of a thorn in Antoine Kombouaré's side, not a lot needs adjusting in Paris, especially on the pitch.
It certainly would be nice to see reinforcements to the center of defense and striking force in the January transfer window.
Mevlüt Erdinç getting a kick start in the goalscoring department would be a dream.
But in the end, there is not a lot to complain about with regard to the performance of the Parc des Princes bunch.
Apoula Edel, no matter what country he's from, has performed adequately in the absence of first choice keeper Grégory Coupet.
Mamadou Sakho and Zoumana Camara have been stalwartly at the back, and Ceará by and large has been a joy to watch get forward.
No matter who has been plugged into central midfield—be it Mathieu Bodmer, Clément Chantôme, Jérémy Clément or Claude Makélélé—strong, workman's performances have been turned in.
Guillaume Hoarau has been dominant as always.
And Nenê, well...
Goals are being scored, not a lot are being scored against and les Rouge-et-Bleu currently sit second in Le Championnat with three other cup competitions in their sights.
And so, with a little luck and fresh blood, looking ahead to 2011, making too many other changes before play resumes in January would be absolutely silly.
Paris pour le championnat!
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